The Unknown of the Order (Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

Lee Manor

Merula, Diego, and Sarah appeared a couple hundred yards in front of Lee Manor around midday. It was a good thing Merula had decided to go with them; she immediately had to stop Sarah from being an idiot. 

"Let's go," Sarah said, darting toward the house. Merula grabbed her by the robes and yanked her back. 

"Hold on a second, Spellman! We need a plan. Do you want to get yourself killed?"

Sarah huffed, but remained where she was as she straightened her robes. "Alright, what do you suggest?" she asked. 

Whatever magic Sarah and Diego had used to disguise themselves began to wear off. When Merula met the eyes of not an old lady, but her old enemy, she felt a rush of conflicting emotions. She and Sarah had hated each other from the moment their eyes met at Hogwarts. Over the years, however, many things had happened to complicate their relationship. They'd been forced to unite against a common enemy, they'd had to save each other's lives, and they'd learned they were more alike then they'd ever have thought. They'd even called each other friends at one point. 

Merula didn't know what emotion to focus on when she looked at Spellman, so she settled on anger. That had always been the easiest for her to express. 

"Well, we know there are at least three Death Eaters in that house now, but there could be more," she said. 

"Two," said Diego. "Sarah only saw Barnaby's parents in her vision."

"Three," Merula corrected icily, "when you count Barnaby's Gran. Now, we got lucky that they haven't used the fidelus charm or we wouldn't be able to find he house at all. I say, we start by circling around the house, getting closer and closer, and breaking any curses or enchantments we find. There are sure to be some."

"Smart," Sarah admitted begrudgingly. 

"I know, it was my idea," said Merula. 

They split up and began circling the house, waving their wands and muttering counter-curses under their breaths while doing their best to stay out of sight of the windows. 

Merula stared hard at the house as she worked, as if she could force the door to open with her mind, and someone to waltz out with the answers she needed. 

She assumed Spellman had heard her whereabouts from that batty gossip Haywood, somehow. She'd only been working as a waitress in that stinking pub for a few months, ever since she'd realized that Harry Potter was right--Lord Voldemort had returned. 

Her mother had been a follower of his, and hadn't she always said 'Lord Voldemort rewards his loyal followers?'

Merula had abandoned her career as a successful Curse-Breaker to search for any sign that her mother had been released from Azkaban, that the Dark Lord had stayed true to those loyal enough to go to prison for him. While busing tables and serving slimy patrons, she'd heard many rumors that the Death Eaters were indeed at large again, but there had been no word on the name Snyde, or any escaped convicts. 

Until Spellman showed up. 

Merula's mother had been arrested around the same time as Barnaby's parents. Surely, if the Dark Lord had freed them, her mother was free too. She'd meant what she'd said to Spellman earlier--Barnaby had been her friend, and she would help to save him if she could--but the real reason she bothered to join Spellman and Diego was to find any information she could on her mother. 

They were very close to the house now. Peering into the windows, she saw dark unmoving shapes that she assumed were bits of furniture. It seemed as if the house was abandoned. Ahead, Merula just had time to see Spellman walk around the back corner of the house, twirling her wand in the air, and shooting anxious looks at the house every couple of seconds. Merula had rarely seen her so unhinged.